As one moves away from the equator towards the poles, the mercury dips and reaches below freezing point. If you think the numbing cold and the snowy landscape of these regions may not be the best place to enjoy, think again. Winter sports are a popular and favorite pastime for people of these icy climes. Today, people journey to the cold deserts to indulge in sports like Skiing, Snowboarding, Ice skating and Ski boarding.

The immense popularity of winter sports can be gauged from the fact that winter Olympics are held as regularly and with as much fervor as the Summer Olympics, once every four years. Having a history stretching above 80 years, the Winter Olympics is a wonderful occasion for athletes to test their skating and skiing skills. Luge, Bobsleigh, Curling, Snowboarding, Speed skating, and Ski jumping are some of the most popular events.

Gliding on it is the fastest way to move on ice. Skiing involves gliding on ice with the help of hand held skis and metal edges strapped to the feet. With any number of variations to it, this activity draws crowds in hordes. Tourists and professionals throng the venues of popular mountain slopes to play and watch this sport. The steep descent combined with the speed at which one glides on ice can unnerve the best of players. But the thrill more than compensates for any fears that one may harbor. Snow boarding is inspired by skating and surfing and involves gliding on ice with feet attached to a board.

Snowboarding is a truly daredevil sport wherein the boarder straps a board on his feet and jumps onto the steep descent on ice. The sheer thrill combined with the danger gives the riders and the viewers a new high. Any number of Hollywood movies have enacted sequences involving snowboarding. The equipment of people engaged in winter sports uses the most modern technologies and dedicated sports enthusiasts go the extra mile in carrying out research to find newer and safer forms of sports on ice.